The a to Z of Plant Names: A Quick Reference Guide to 4000 Garden Plants (60 page)

aurantiacus
Curtis. o-ran-tee-
ah
-koos. Lat. orange (the flowers). W USA, NW Mex.

cardinalis
Douglas ex Benth. kar-di-
nah
-lis. Cardinal monkey flower. Lat. scarlet (the flowers). W USA, N Mex.

guttatus
Fisch. ex DC. gu-
tah
-toos. Lat. spotted (the flowers). SW Canada, W USA, N Mex.

luteus
L.
lue
-tee-oos. Yellow monkey flower. Lat. yellow (the flowers). Chile.

ringens
L.
ring
-uhnz. Allegheny monkey flower. Lat. wide open (the flowers). Canada, USA.

mind-your-own-business
Soleirolia soleirolii

miniature grape ivy
Cissus striata

mint
Mentha
.
apple
M. suaveolens
.
corn
M. arvensis
.
Corsican
M. requienii
.
field
M. arvensis
.
ginger
M
. ×
gracilis
.
horse
M. longifolia
.
lemon
M
. ×
piperita
‘Citrata’.
water
M. aquatica

Mirabilis
L. (Nyctaginaceae). mi-
ra
-bi-lis. Lat. wonderful. 60 spp. perenn. herbs. N and S Am.

jalapa
L. huh-
lah
-puh. Four o’clock plant, marvel of Peru. An old generic name applied to a herb grown near Jalapa (Xalapa). Mex.

multiflora
(Torr.) A. Gray. mul-ti-
flaw
-ruh. Lat. many-flowered. W USA, N Mex.

Miscanthus
Anderss. (Poaceae). mis-
kanth
-oos. From Gk. stalk, flower, referring to the stalked spikelets. 15 spp. grasses. SE Asia, S Africa.

×
giganteus
J. M. Greef & Deuter ex Hodk. & Renvoize. jie-
gan
-tee-oos. Lat. very large.
M. sinensis
×
M. sacchariflorus
. Cult.

nepalensis
(Trin.) Hack. nep-uh-
len
-sis. Of Nepal. Himal., W China.

sacchariflorus
(Maxim.) Hack. sak-uh-ri-
flaw
-roos. Lat. with flowers like
Saccharum
. E Asia.

sinensis
Anderss. si-
nen
-sis. Lat. of China. China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea. subsp.
condensatus
(Hack.) T. Koyama. kon-den-
sah
-toos. Lat. dense (the panicles).

transmorrisonensis
Hayata =
M. sinensis

mission bells
Fritillaria biflora

Mitchella
L. (Rubiaceae). mi-
chel
-uh. After John Mitchell (1711–1768), American botanist, physician and geographer, who first described it under another name. 2 spp. perenn. herbs. N Am., Guatemala, Japan.

repens
L.
ree
-puhnz. Partridge berry. Lat. creeping. E Canada, E and C USA, Mex., Guatemala.

Mitella
L. (Saxifragaceae). mie-
tel
-uh. Mitrewort. Lat. a small headband or turban, referring to the cap-shaped fruit. 20 spp. perenn. herbs. Canada, USA, E Asia.

breweri
A. Gray.
brue
-uh-ree. After American botanist William Henry Brewer (1828–1910), who collected the type specimen in 1863 during the Geological Survey of California. SW Canada, W USA.

diphylla
L. die-
fil
-uh. Gk. two-leaved (each flowering stem). SE Canada, E USA.

Mitraria
Cav. (Gesneriaceae). mie-
trair
-ree-uh. From Gk. turban or cap, referring to the fruit. 1 sp., evergreen climber. Chile, Argentina.

coccinea
Cav. kok-
sin
-ee-uh. Lat. scarlet (the flowers).

mitrewort
Mitella

moccasin flower
Cypripedium

mock orange
Philadelphus, P. coronarius
.
desert
P. microphyllus

Modiolastrum
K. Schum. (Malvaceae). mod-ee-oh-
las
-troom. Lat. somewhat like
Modiola
, a related genus (from Lat. hub of a wheel, referring to the fruit). 7 spp. herbs. S Am.

lateritium
(Hook.) Krapov. lat-uh-
rit
-ee-oom. Lat. brick-coloured (the flowers). Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay.

Molinia
Schrank (Poaceae). mo-
lin
-ee-uh. After Juan Ignacio Molina (1740–1829), Chilean priest and botanist. 2 spp. grasses, Eur., N. Africa, Asia.

caerulea
(L.) Moench. kie-
rue
-lee-uh. Purple moor grass. Lat. blue. Eur., N Africa, W and C Asia. subsp.
arundinacea
(Schrank) K. Richt. uh-run-di-
nay
-see-uh. Lat. reed-like.

Moluccella
L. (Lamiaceae). mol-ue-
kel
-uh. Diminutive of Molucca (
M. spinosa
was thought to originate in the Moluccas). 2 spp. ann. or perenn. herbs. S and E Eur., N Africa, W and C Asia.

laevis
L.
lee
-vis. Bells of Ireland. Lat. smooth (the shoots and leaves). E Eur., W and C Asia.

Monarda
L. (Lamiaceae). mon-
ar
-duh. Bee balm, horsemint. After Nicolás Bautista Monardes (1493–1588), Spanish physician and botanist. 16 spp. ann. and perenn. herbs. N Am.

bradburyana
L. C. Beck. brad-buhree-
ah
-nuh. After Scottish botanist John Bradbury (1768–1823), who had recently died, as “a tribute to the memory of a highly valued friend and distinguished botanist.” C and SE USA.

citriodora
Cerv. ex Lag. sit-ree-oh-
dor
-ruh. Lemon bee balm. Lat. lemon-scented. E and C USA, Mex.

didyma
L.
did
-i-muh. Oswego tea. Lat. in pairs (the stamens). E USA.

fistulosa
L. fist-ew-
loh
-suh. Lat. with hollow stems. Canada, USA, N Mex.

punctata
L. punk-
tah
-tuh. Spotted bee balm. Lat. spotted (the corolla). E USA, NE Mex.

mondograss
Ophiopogon japonicus

moneywort
Lysimachia nummularia

monkey flower
Mimulus
.
Allegheny
M. ringens
.
cardinal
M. cardinalis
.
yellow
M. luteus

monkey puzzle
Araucaria araucana

montbretia
Crocosmia

Monstera
Adans. (Araceae). mon-
ste
-ruh. From Lat. strange, monstrous (the often perforated leaves). 40 spp. evergreen climbers. S Mex. to S Am.

deliciosa
Liebm. del-is-ee-
oh
-suh. Swiss cheese plant. Lat. delicious (the fruit). S Mex. to Panama.

moonflower
Ipomoea alba

Morella
Lour. (Myricaceae). mo-
rel
-uh. Diminutive of
Morus
(the fruits were likened to a small mulberry). 46 spp., trees, shrubs. Widespread.

cerifera
(L.) Small. se-
ri
-fuh-ruh. Southern bayberry. Lat. bearing wax (candle wax can be obtained from the fruits). E USA to Panama.

pensylvanica
(Mirb.) Kartesz. pen-sil-
van
-i-kuh. Northern bayberry. Of Pennsylvania. E N Am.

Morina
L. (Caprifoliaceae). mo-
ree
-nuh. After Louis Morin (1635–1715),
French botanist and physician. 10 spp. perenn. herbs. SE Eur. to W China.

longifolia
Wall. ex DC. long-gi-
foh
-lee-uh. Lat. long-leaved. Himal., S Tibet.

Morus
L. (Moraceae).
mo
-roos. Mulberries. Lat. name for
M. nigra
. 12 spp., trees, shrubs. N and S Am., Eur., Africa, Asia.

alba
L.
al
-buh. White mulberry. Lat. white (the fruits, sometimes). China.

nigra
L.
nie
-gruh. Black mulberry. Lat. black (the fruit). SW Asia.

mosaic plant
Fittonia albivenis, Ludwigia sedoides

mosquito plant
Agastache cana

mother-in-law’s tongue
Sansevieria trifasciata

mother of thousands
Saxifraga stolonifera

mountain ash
Sorbus aucuparia
.
American
S. americana

mountain cottonwood
Ozothamnus leptophyllus

mountain pepper
Tasmannia lanceolata

mountain whitethorn
Ceanothus cordulatus

mourning widow
Geranium phaeum

mouse-ear chickweed
Cerastium
.
alpine
C. alpinum

mouse plant
Arisarum vulgare

Mrs Robb’s bonnet
Euphorbia amygdaloides
subsp.
robbiae

Muehlenbeckia
Meissn. (Polygonaceae). mue-luhn-
bek
-ee-uh. After Henri (Heinrich) Gustav Muehlen-beck (1798–1845), French physician and botanist. 22 spp. climbing and creeping shrubs. C and S Am., New Guinea, Australia, NZ.

complexa
(A. Cunn.) Meissn. kom-
plex
-uh. Lat. embracing (the tepals enlarge to surround the fruit). NZ.

mugwort
Artemisia vulgaris

Mukdenia
Koidz. (Saxifragaceae). mook-
den
-ee-uh. Of Shenyang (Mukden). 1 sp., perenn. herb. NE China, Korea.

rossii
(Oliv.) Koidz.
ros
-ee-ee. After Scottish missionary John Ross (1842–1915), who collected the type specimen in NE China.

mulberry
Morus
.
black
M. nigra
.
paper
Broussonetia papyrifera
.
white
Morus alba

mullein
Verbascum
.
common
V. thapsus
.
nettle-leaved
V. chaixii
.
purple
V. phoeniceum

Muscari
Mill. (Asparagaceae). moos-
kah
-ree. Grape hyacinth. The Turkish name. 42 spp. bulbous herbs. N Africa, Eur., Medit., W and C Asia.

armeniacum
Leichtlin ex Baker. ar-men-ee-
ah
-koom. Of Armenia. SE Eur., Caucasus.

azureum
Fenzl. uh-
zew
-ree-oom. Lat. blue (the flowers). Turkey.

botryoides
(L.) Mill. bot-ree-
oy
-deez. Lat. like a bunch of grapes (the clustered flowers). Eur.

comosum
(L.) Parl. ko-
moh
-soom. Tassel hyacinth. Lat. in tufts (the flowers). N Africa, S and E Eur., W Asia.

latifolium
J. Kirk. lat-i-
foh
-lee-oom. Lat. broad-leaved. Turkey.

mustard, black
Brassica nigra
.
Chinese
B. juncea
.
white
B. hirta